If a production wants to put your child on screen in Ireland, it needs a licence from a government minister before the first day’s work. Not a form, not a waiver — a licence. Most parents never hear this, because the production handles it and nobody thinks to mention it. It is worth knowing anyway, because the conditions attached to that licence are the clearest statement anywhere of what your child is entitled to on a set.
Everything below is taken from the Workplace Relations Commission and the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996, checked on 13 September 2026. It is a plain-English summary, not legal advice, and the WRC is the authority on any of it.
The short version
- A child in this law means anyone under 16, or under the school-leaving age, whichever is higher.
- Employing a child is generally prohibited. Film, TV, theatre and advertising are an exception granted case by case, by ministerial licence under section 3(2).
- The employer applies, not you. They should apply at least 21 days before the work starts.
- Your written consent is part of the application. So is a copy of the signed contract.
- The licence carries conditions on hours, breaks, chaperones, schooling, facilities and how your child is paid.
What the production has to send, and when
The employer applies in writing to the Minister at least 21 days before the employment commences, through the Workplace Relations Commission. The application has to contain all of the following:
- Your child’s name, address and date of birth
- Your name, address and contact telephone number as parent or guardian
- The nature of the employment — film, theatre, sport and so on
- Details of the project, including the script where available
- The reasons that justify employing a child of that age
- How long the employment will last, including rehearsals
- How much night work is involved, if any
- The principal work location, if different from the employer’s address
- What your child will be paid
- A note from the school principal agreeing to the absence, if there is one
- Alternative teaching arrangements, where those are needed
- A copy of the signed contract
- A letter giving your consent
The Minister can grant or refuse at their discretion, and can make whatever enquiries they think necessary first. When the job ends, the employer must report to the Department how many hours the child was actually present for.
Applications go to [email protected], or to the Workplace Relations Commission, O’Brien Road, Carlow R93 E920. Phone +353 59 917 8990.
Hours, by age
This is the part most worth reading twice, because the main limit is on time present at the place of employment — not time in front of a camera. A twelve-hour day with two hours of filming in it is not permitted no matter how little your child actually performs.
| Age | Max hours present per day | Earliest / latest | Max hours in 12 months | Performing or rehearsing, per day | Longest stretch without a rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 7 | 5 hours | 9.30am – 4.30pm | 250 hours | 2 hours | 30 minutes |
| 7 to 12 | 7½ hours | 9am – 5pm | 700 hours | 3 hours | 45 minutes |
| 13 and over | 8 hours | 9am – 7pm | 900 hours | 4 hours | 1 hour |
The start and finish times can be varied “in special circumstances”. Night work is allowed only where it is genuinely essential that the performance happens at that hour.
Breaks and days off
For every 3½ hours at the place of employment, a child must get a meal break of at least one hour and a separate 15-minute rest break. A child may not perform or rehearse on more than five days in any seven — or six days in any seven, provided that does not happen on more than twenty days in any twenty-eight.
The chaperone rule
A suitably qualified chaperone must be in charge of your child at all times while they are at the place of employment, except when your child is with you. The chaperone’s job is defined as the care and control of the child “with a view to securing his/her health, comfort, kind treatment and moral welfare”.
One chaperone may not be in charge of more than twelve children at a time. That is a number worth counting on the day.
School
If the work means missing more than one week of school, the production must arrange appropriate alternative teaching. The school principal’s agreement to the absence forms part of the licence application in the first place.
What the production must provide on site
- Adequate meals
- Somewhere to dress for performances and rehearsals
- Somewhere to rest and be occupied when not performing
- Suitable and sufficient sanitary and washing facilities
- Arrangements acceptable to you for getting your child home after the last performance or rehearsal of the day
Nudity
A child cannot be required to perform nude or partially nude without the express permission of the parent or guardian, and a qualified nurse or social worker must be present during any such rehearsal or performance. If this ever comes up, it is a conversation with the production and, realistically, with someone independent — not a form to sign quickly.
The money goes into the child’s name
This one surprises people. Sums earned, other than expenses, must be lodged in a post office or bank account in the child’s own name. It is a condition of the licence, not a nicety.
Separately, employees under 18 are entitled to 70% of the adult national minimum wage. That rate changes, so check the current figure with the WRC rather than taking a number from any website, including this one.
Before you say yes: a parent’s checklist
- Ask whether the licence has been applied for, and when. If the shoot is in under 21 days and nobody has mentioned it, ask again.
- Ask who the chaperone is and how many children they are covering.
- Get the call times in writing and check them against the table above — presence, not performance.
- Ask what happens about school if it is more than a week.
- Ask where the money goes. It should be an account in your child’s name.
- Read the contract before it goes in the application, because a copy of it is part of the licence request.
None of this makes a production suspect. A well-run Irish shoot does all of it as a matter of course, and the people organising it will be glad you asked rather than annoyed. The questions are most useful with the productions that are not well run.
Where CastMe stands
CastMe accounts, Showcase pages and platform tools are for people aged 16 and over. We do not host profiles for children, and there is no public page, upload or directory listing for anyone under 16 on this site — that is enforced automatically and checked every day, not left to policy.
Younger performers can use the CastMe Kids Playroom, which needs no signup, no profile and no uploads, and creates nothing public. If you are a parent weighing this up in general terms, our guide for parents considering child acting is about the decision rather than the paperwork.
Common questions
Does a child need a licence to act in a film in Ireland?
Yes, for anyone up to 16. It is a ministerial licence under section 3(2) of the 1996 Act, applied for by the employer at least 21 days in advance.
Who applies — me or the production?
The production. Your written consent and the signed contract go in with their application.
What if the shoot is next week?
The 21-day notice is what the WRC asks for. A production working inside that window should be able to tell you exactly where the application stands.
Is an agency required?
No. The licence is between the employer and the Minister. An agency may manage the process in practice, but no agency is a substitute for the licence, and no agency fee changes what the law requires.
Sources
- WRC — Licence to Employ Children in Film/TV Work
- WRC — Note on employing a child by licence under Section 3(2): Film/TV (PDF)
- WRC — Employment of Children and Young Persons
- Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996, section 3 (revised)
Checked against these sources on . Note that some older Irish sites still direct parents to the National Employment Rights Authority; NERA was dissolved in 2015 and its functions passed to the Workplace Relations Commission. Rates, contacts and conditions change — the WRC is the authority, not this page.